Landing the Lawman (The Hills of Texas Book 5)

by Kadie Scott

  He took a step closer. “How about this… I love you too much to let you walk out of my life.”

  “You’ve already tried that—”

  “And I’ve already apologized. Hell, I knew I was wrong even as the words were coming out of my mouth, but I couldn’t stop them.”

  She just stood there, hands on her hips regarding him with some kind of expectation.

  “I went in with the Owenses on their property.” He hadn’t meant to play this as a card. He didn’t want to buy her love.

  “You what?” She squeaked the last word.

  “Just a small portion, enough to help them past the lawsuits and situation with the water. In exchange, they’re giving me one of the smaller houses for the hands, and permission to keep my horses there, use the land when I wish.”

  She stood, mouth opening and closing. “You don’t have any horses,” she finally said.

  “Not yet.”

  She blinked. “You didn’t do this for me, did you?”

  “Partly.” They had to start this honestly. “You miss this place. You had to choose to leave this life.”

  She bit her lip.

  “But it’s for me, too. Being here, and on the Owenses’ property, it’s reminded me of what I missed. Of the good parts of my parents’ place. This is a… compromise. Best of both worlds. A way to help good people and keep our connection to the land while we continue to pursue our passion in Austin.”

  “I—” She stopped and swallowed.

  Logan ran a hand through his hair and blew out a long breath. “God, woman, you’re tougher than a jury. I’m sorry for what I said, what I believed even for just half a second. And I’m sorry because I know I’ll mess up again, but also I know you’ll put me right.”

  Carter bit her lip, glanced away, and shook her head. And all the rocks in his stomach dropped to his feet crushing his heart beneath the weight.

  “I’m not perfect.” Carter dropped the soft words into the void.

  “Perfect?” Where was she going with this?

  She returned her gaze to his. “You’ve been against relationships for so long, I don’t want you looking for any excuse to call this experiment a failure. I’m far from perfect.”

  Which meant she wanted to try?

  He took a step closer. “I can’t guarantee I won’t have moments where I get…”

  “All distant and weird?” she filled in.

  Not the manly image he wanted, but a fair assessment. “If you say so. But I can tell you right now I don’t want perfect.”

  “You don’t?” Utter disbelief laced the words. Was that what her ex-fiancé had wanted? Perfection?

  He stepped closer. “I want the woman who eats popcorn with so much butter her hands leave marks on my leather furniture.”

  She frowned. “You were so mad—”

  “I want the woman who tells me when I’m bellowing and argues with me even when I’m right.”

  This time her eyes crinkled a little bit at the corners. “We’re going to need to work on your math skills.”

  He grimaced—she was terrible at math and insisted on arguing—but kept going. “I want the woman who chose to chase her dreams, even if it meant leaving behind a different kind of happiness.”

  “I want the woman who stands up for herself, even to the idiot who loves her more than anything.”

  She narrowed her eyes at that, but playfully, the corners of her lips twitching. “The amount of time it takes me to cool down will always be in direct proportion to the crime, Counselor.”

  Then she shocked the hell out of him, jumping into his arms to wrap her legs around his waist. He caught her, though he stumbled a bit before catching his balance, then held on tight.

  Carter kissed him hard and swift. Then pulled back to grin. “I want the man who never gives up and has a heart the size of Texas when it comes to helping people.”

  “Really, it’s all about the money—”

  She put a finger to his lips to stop the joke, though the sparkle in her eyes told him she was laughing too. “I want the man who can sit a horse like a cowboy and be equally confident in a courtroom.”

  “I hope you’re talking about me, because there aren’t too many of us lawyer cowboys out there—”

  She kissed him swiftly and shut him up.

  Logan sobered. “I can spend too much time on my job. Be single-minded.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not shy about asking for your attention. And I love that single-mindedness… most of the time.” She winked. “Especially when it’s focused on me.”

  She ran a hand through his hair. “I love the man who needs to be reminded to watch movies or take a break. The one who gets so all irritated before trial, even though he won’t admit that it’s nerves, and calls it being prepared.”

  She glanced over her shoulder and her family. At some point, John and Evelyn had joined them all. Carter turned back to face him. “And I really love the man who will face down my brothers for me.”

  She leaned in closer, her lips to his ear. “And I am so sorry that it took me a little convincing to forgive you. I was scared, hurt. But I was also expecting you to change a decade of habits, as well as the lawyer in you, too soon. I didn’t give you time, or a chance. It won’t happen again.”

  Logan took a deep breath, his heart put back together again, and it didn’t even need all the king’s horses and all the king’s men.

  It just needed Carter telling him she loved him. “So, you love me?”

  She pulled back and pretended to think about it, and gave a little shrug, then couldn’t help herself, her smile lighting her face, giving her a glow that Logan was sure he would remember for the rest of his life. “Yeah. I love you. Turns out I got a thing for lawmen.”

  She kissed him again, only this time softly, lingering over the touch. And Logan held her tighter against him. If he didn’t get this woman away from her family into a private room right now, he was going to embarrass himself… Or her family.

  He broke the kiss, both of them breathing a little harder. “I think we should go find some place to talk?”

  “I think you should get a room,” Autry jeered from behind him.

  “Autry Hill,” Evelyn scolded. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  Carter buried her face in Logan’s neck, her body shaking with laughter. Then whispered in his ear, for him alone. “I hear the barn is a good place for making up.”

  He didn’t even bother to lower her to the ground, walking right out of the room. Carter giggled, but just held on tighter.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Cash’s voice followed them out of the room.

  “I should think that’s obvious, Son,” Carter’s dad drawled.

  The screen door slammed behind them, blocking out any other comments her family might’ve made. Logan didn’t stop until he made it into the barn, finding an empty stall with fresh straw, he lowered Carter.

  The harsh ring of his phone barged in.

  “Ugh,” Carter scowled. “Awful timing.”

  Before he could protest, she pulled the phone out and scowled again, this time at the screen.

  She turned it to face him, showing Angela’s name. “May I?” she asked.

  Logan waved her on.

  Hitting the button to answer, Carter put the phone to her ear. “Logan’s phone. I’m sorry, Angela, I know breakups can hurt and starting over is rough, but Logan has been clear that he can’t be friends. It might help to know that Logan is spoken for now, and I’m the jealous type. I’m sure you have plenty of other friends. Please stop trying to contact him.”

  She held the phone out to him, expression expectant. “Anything to add?”

  Logan smiled and leaned forward to put his mouth to the speaker. “I know you’ll be fine without me. You always were.”

  A long pause greeted his words. “You’re right,” Angela snapped. “I don’t need you.”

  The line went dead.

  With a delighted
grin, Carter hung up the phone, then jumped back into his arms. “I hope you’re planning to make an honest woman of me eventually,” she teased. “My family is liable to come after you with various forms of firearms.”

  Logan stopped and kissed her hard. Then raised his head and grinned. “I’m counting on it.”

  Epilogue

  A bellow sounded, the low pitch of an agitated male voice carrying all the way through the open door to the hospital room where Carter was all set up, attached various monitors, beating machines, and other things.

  Despite the gruff tone to the low rumble, Carter smiled. Her husband had made record time getting here. He must’ve been flying to tackle the long drive to La Colina in half the usual time.

  “Dammit. Where the hell is she?”

  He sounded closer now. Had he gone into the wrong room? Carter glanced at her mother and they shared a grin.

  “I’ll go get him,” her father offered.

  But he hardly made it to the door when Logan appeared. “There you are.”

  As if him not finding her was her fault. “You bellowed?”

  That stopped him in his tracks. He paused, frowned, then threw his head back in laughter. “Guess I deserved that.”

  The next second, all hilarity dissolved from his gaze and he rushed to her side taking her hand in his. He eyed the rounded mound of her tummy under the sheets. “Am I too late?”

  He had not been thrilled when, thanks to blood pressure issues, she’d been forced to take the last month of her pregnancy off work, then decided to spend the last two weeks at home with her parents. Mostly because Logan had turned into a mother hen and was driving her crazy. Also, she was on strict bedrest and he had a major case going. One with the power to impact future laws, and she wanted him to be able to concentrate. Besides, she’d been born in La Colina, as had all her brothers, and all her nieces and nephews. So it seemed fitting their baby would be born here, too.

  “Right on time… oooooohhhh—” She had to break off the rest of the sentence when another contraction hit. She breathed through it, crushing Logan’s hand, which she gripped hard through the wave of pain.

  TV had got this all wrong. This was way worse.

  Eventually the contraction subsided and she let up, deliberately trying to relax into the pillows propping up her back.

  “I think we should leave them to it,” her mother said. She had to pull a protesting John Hill with her out of the room.

  Carter looked into the face of the man she loved more than she’d ever thought possible and gave him a soft smile. “You ready for this?”

  He smoothed back a sweaty tendril of her hair and returned that smile tenfold. “Yeah. You?”

  Another contraction hit just before she could answer. And two hours later, they welcomed Evans Elaine Cartez into the world. Named after Dale Evans, carrying on the tradition her parents had set, and also named after Logan’s mother.

  “She’s gorgeous,” Cash murmured to Carter from where he stood beside her on one side.

  Her entire family—mother, father, all four brothers, all of their wives, and all the kids—had managed to squeeze into this room to meet the new baby. For once, they stood in hushed awe, rather than all speaking at once in a cacophony of sound and hilarity.

  “She has your eyes,” Logan said as he stared down at his baby girl, wrapped in blankets, and held securely in his arms. He’d insisted her mama needed to rest, and therefore he should hold Evans.

  The baby chose that moment to open her mouth and wail loudly.

  “And she has your ability to bellow,” Carter teased her husband, softening it with a grin.

  Rather than laugh, Logan gave a sharp nod. “No one’s gonna take advantage of my baby girl.”

  Carter settled back against her pillows with a sigh of pure contentment. Despite her exhaustion, the need for a hot shower—after she figured out how to make her legs work again following labor—and the worries about how she was going to parent this perfect miracle, she was as happy as she ever thought possible to be.

  Here she was, surrounded by her family. Her parents, still alive and kicking, and loving the tar out of each grandbaby that came along. Cash and Holly with Sophia entering high school and the twins, Jackson and Brooks, getting into all sorts of mischief. Will and Rusty, and their one on the way. Jennings and Ashley with their daughter, and now a son on the way. And Autry and Beth, with Dylan and Montgomery, who was now a toddler.

  All healthy, happy, and together.

  And that was all anyone could ask for in this life.

  The End

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  Thanks for reading Landing the Lawman by Kadie Scott!

  Discover your next romance at TulePublishing.com.

  The Hills of Texas

  For the Hills of Texas, ranching is a legacy, hard work is a way of life, and having siblings is like having a best friend you can’t get rid of. You know whatever you do, they’ll still be there. Family will stand by you, stand with you, stand behind you, and sometimes give you that needed push. Especially when it comes to finding love.

  Book 1: Saving the Sheriff

  Buy now!

  Book 2: Resisting the Rancher

  Buy now!

  Book 3: Taming the Troublemaker

  Buy now!

  Book 4: Claiming the Cowboy for Christmas

  Buy now!

  Book 5: Landing the Lawman

  View the series here!

  Enjoy an excerpt from

  Claiming the Cowboy for Christmas

  Kadie Scott

  Book 4 in The Hills of Texas series

  Keep reading below or buy now!

  Grit your teeth and grin at all the fake concern about to head your way. Ashley Hughes made sure to plaster her brightest smile across her face as she followed her sister into Hurricane Harry’s.

  The best local bar in La Colina, Texas, Harry’s was known for terrific live music and boasted over one hundred beers on tap. Once upon a time, it had been one of her favorite hangouts. Tonight, however, the location for her sister’s bachelorette party became a source of hours of personal torture. A tax audit for the mob would be more fun.

  No. Wait. The Christmas Date Auction her mother had signed her up for tomorrow might qualify as worse, if that were possible. She had come home for the holidays and her sister’s wedding…to Ashley’s ex. Granted, she’d been the one to break things off and even give them her blessing. Shouldn’t that be enough? Her qualification for sainthood should be in the bag with this situation. Why add cruel and unusual to the mix?

  I shouldn’t have put this off so long.

  Two years since she’d been home. Or at least, since anyone other than family had seen her. At least she looked good. As the maid of honor, she’d planned the party and had sexy black tank tops made up with sparkly red text that read “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” with “Taylor’s Last Ride” and the date underneath. Each lady paired her matching top with various sexy bottoms, mostly tight jeans. And all wore red heels to complete the ensemble.

  Ashley had opted for a black velvet miniskirt, which barely covered her backside, but also had shorts built in underneath. Dancing at Harry’s meant two-stepping and a Texas version of the jitterbug, which required the shorts, or she’d be flashing her red lace undies all night. She wanted to prove to people she was fine, not get slobbered on by some drunk cowboy with plans for a romantic one-hour-stand in the back of his pickup.

  An insidious little voice whispered that maybe she wasn’t fine. Ashley flicked the devil on her shoulder off. Taylor might be marrying Eric, but Ashley had been the one to see the connection between them. She’d been the one to give her permission. And, after her first year in Dallas, she could say for certain that she was over him. Even then, Taylor and Eric had needed more time, so Ashley had continued to remain in Dallas for another year. Two years a
lone. Two years away from her family.

  She’d been certain about the breakup with Eric being the right move within the first few months. The problem was, no one else in their small Texas town believed that.

  Which meant gossip. Ugh.

  She’d taken the ostrich’s example and had been burying her head in the sandy hole of work up until tonight. Except, already she could feel the homesickness creeping in. But she’d made her choices. Mostly she just didn’t want to deal with the whispers and stares.

  She pulled her shoulders back. Fine or not, she intended to give a damn good show for the folks at home.

  She’d curled her long, dark hair, pinning the sides back from her face and applied dramatic makeup with a practiced hand. Her shoes were pure Dallas, three-inch stilettos and sparkly enough to satisfy any wicked witches out there. Too bad she couldn’t click her heels and make the public spectacle of this particular homecoming visit end.

  Dutifully, she followed Taylor as they wound their way through the crowded room to a booth Ashley had reserved for their party. Even the bar was decorated for Christmas, if in a haphazard fashion. Strands of various mismatched Christmas lights had been draped all over the walls, and a Santa hat had been placed atop Bucky the mechanical bull’s head.

  “What can I get you ladies?” A bartender approached the table and yelled over the din and the music. She recognized Bud, a guy who’d been several years ahead of her in school and inherited the bar from his dad a few years back.

  Ashley caught his eye. “Tequila shots to start.” She handed him her credit card. “Keep the tab open.”

  He gave her a salute with the card. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “That’s too much,” Taylor protested.

  Ashley wrapped an arm around her sister and hugged her close, a pang of regret twanging through her when Taylor tensed at the contact. The past years had done a number on their relationship, and hopefully someday that would get better. Ashley was determined it would, but they needed time. After the wedding, after things settled to normal. Maybe then she could find a way home.